The Lost Art of Gathering: Why Dining Together Still Matters

By Noelle Sharbaugh, High Heeled Hostess

I love hosting dinner parties and do so often. It’s part passion, part tradition, rooted in my big Italian family, where meals were lively, laughter-filled events that made everyone feel they belonged. Some of my dinners are styled to the nines with layered china and seasonal menus; others are simpler—candlelight, a good bottle of wine, and guests I think will enjoy meeting.

Whether I’m mixing people from different corners of my life or carving out space for real conversation in a world that rarely slows down, the goal is always the same: to make people feel welcome. At a recent dinner, guests who’d never met lingered for hours, laughing and planning their next get-together. It reminded me how little it takes to create something meaningful—and how much we need that right now.

When did you last sit down to dinner without rushing? No phones, no TV, no juggling schedules—just people talking and eating together. For most of us, those meals have become rare. We eat on the go, in front of screens, squeezed between obligations.

But here in Reston, connection has always been part of the design. From the beginning, this community was built around the belief that neighborhoods thrive when people come together in shared green spaces, at cultural events, and around the table. Founder Robert E. Simon’s 1964 vision still holds: we’re at our best when we gather.

Historically, the table has been more than a place to eat. It’s where memories take shape, stories unfold, and relationships grow. Yet as life speeds up, we’ve let the table become a place we pass through instead of a place we pause.

Something changes when we slow down and sit together. Conversation flows. People soften. Passing food creates space for listening and laughter. It doesn’t take much—a meal, a table, and time.

If we want more face-to-face connections, we need to make room for them. Host that dinner you’ve been putting off. Light the candles. Invite someone over. Begin with what you have.

Pull up a chair, Reston. The table is ready.

Noelle Sharbaugh, the High Heeled Hostess, is a published and award-winning tablescape designer dedicated to helping people transform dining experiences into unforgettable events. For more tips, tricks, and hosting inspiration, visit www.highheeledhostess.com/, or email her at noelle@highheeledhostess.com